Blooming
by Pms Akali
Summary: In the summer-set Land of Departure, two Keybearers learn the ultimate test of trust.


**Blooming**

The sun was descending on the Land of Departure, covering the grassy hills and it's giant crystalline lake with golden tawny rays of light. The trio had just finished another training session with Master Erauqs. It had to do with magic. How to counter-act troublesome spells with other magic. Magic was so complicated and dangerous, without the right knowledge, you could accidentally enhance the attacker's magic and die that much easier.

They practiced most of the day. How many times Terra got lit up with lightning or ate a fireball, he didn't know. He was sick of magic for,well... forever. He'd take a good hard Keyblade any day. Aqua was absolutely loving it though. Loved everything there was to know about magic. For good reason too. She was brilliant at it. She was Master Eruaqs pride and joy. Terra would be lying if he said he wasn't just a little bit jealous.

"At least it's a nice day out." He sighed, and a light breeze passed by. The clouds drifted high above in their bluish amber heaven.

After a few relaxing minutes went by, Terra heard light footsteps. They picked up in volume as they neared. When they were only a breath away, a melodious voice asked, "Terra?"

Terra opened his eyes and without sitting up, looked up at Aqua's bright blue ones.

"Can I join you?" She gave a warm smile.

"Sure."

She sat next to him, and hugged her legs. A sudden blush painted itself onto Terra's face as he realized just how close Aqua really was. He couldn't help but notice Aqua's curves. She practiced everyday with Master Eruaqs' rigorous training routines. The years had been good to her, that was for sure.

Trying to get his mind off such "manly" thoughts, he asked as casually as he could, "Where's Ven?"

"Hmm?" Aqua turned, "He's with Master. Trying to master his accuracy."

"Again?

"You know how he is. As Master Eruaqs put it: "Too fast for his own good." she said. She fell backwards onto the green patch next to Terra, her namesake's hair fanned out and brushed up against Terra's arm, which didn't go unnoticed.

"So I decided to come spend the day with you."

"Huh? Why's that?" Terra asked skeptically.

Aqua turned to the spiky brunette. "Because I..." she paused for a moment. _Why did she suddenly get nervous? _

Terra raised a questioning eyebrow. "Because I wanted to. What other reason is there?"

Terra shrugged. "I dunno."

The next fifteen minutes went by in blissful silence. Every part of The Land of Departure was beautiful and warm. It felt like the safest place in the worlds. It was the only place Aqua would consider home. And Ven, Master Eruaqs, and Terra were her family.

_Terra..._

She sat up abruptly. "Hey Terra?"

Noticing that her voice caught a melancholy tinge to it, he replied. "Yeah?"

She massaged her arm before asking, "Does it still bother you?"

"Does what?" he asked a little more seriously.

"Your... darkness?" She winced as she said it as if it hurt to say, which in truth kinda did.

Terra sat up. Resting his left elbow on his knee, he frowned and turned away from her so she wouldn't see his facial expression.

Instantly wishing she could turn back time, she cast her head down and tried to study her shoes. Terra got up quickly from his spot and stared out to the expanse below. Aqua looked up to see the back of Terra, his tan Hakama blowing slightly from the breeze.

This wasn't the first time Aqua had brought this up. Ever since Master Eruaqs had discovered the darkness inside of him, he'd been keeping a close watch on Terra. Aqua noticed it. Nothing got by her. Luckily Ven hadn't found out about it and they had agreed they wouldn't tell their youngest friend. Terra was like a role model to Ven. He looked up to him like an older brother.

What with Master Eruaqs' absolute devotion to his Light philosophy, and although she agreed with it, she couldn't imagine what kind of weight that put on Terra's conscience.

_Stupid. _Why did she have to bring this up all the time? _Because._ she thought. _I'm scared. Scared Terra won't be Terra anymore. _

Aqua, afraid this would end like every other time, got up and put her hand on Terra's back. She moved in and pushed her forehead against him.

"I'm sorry," she said. "I just worry about you," and she could feel Terra's muscles loosen a little.

They stood there for a long while. It felt like an eternity to Aqua as the uncomfortable minutes stretched by. Finally Terra cleared his throat.

"I know." He sighed. "Thanks." She took a step back as he turned to face her, disappointed that he wasn't smiling. He noticed her own frown and he rubbed the back of his head and looked away.

She got an idea then renewing her good mood, and hopefully his. " Can you come with me?"

His frown replaced with curiosity. That was good.

"Come on." She grabbed his hand in hers and they ran down the hill into the forest below.

They had been walking a good ten minutes. The sun had lowered below the trees now and the world became an orange dusk. They zigzagged a lot. They took so many turns, Terra lost track of how many there were. He didn't even know which way was north. He hoped at least Aqua knew how to get back.

They eventually stopped at a clearing. Surrounded by a thick wall of Evergreens, a small patch of flowers sat in the middle. Tangerine colored rays hit random spots everywhere. The trees making patch-work shadows on the forest floor. In a word, it was majestic. A picture worthy scene by Terra's reckoning.

"This is where I come when I want to think alone. No one knows about it," she said as she walked around it.

Her own private forest heaven.

"Do you know why I showed you this, Terra?" She turned to face him, her eyes serious and focused, but her voice was gentle.

Terra blinked twice. He reached into his pocket and fished out the brownish red star-shaped charm that Aqua had made for the Keybearer trio. He stared at the piece for a few seconds, absorbing the meaning behind the charms. Someday those charms would bring them all together again. A small pocket full of compassion and friendship.

A soft chuckle escaped Aqua's lips and Terra looked up. Putting his Luck charm back into his pocket Aqua said, "This is similar to those, but..." she trailed off and she walked to the center of the clearing. She she sat in the patch of flowers. Off in the distance a bird chirped. The sound of leaves crunching could be heard as a chipmunk scampered by.

Aqua waited patiently, her eyes asking Terra to join her. He obliged and sat down next to her and Aqua gave a tender smile.

"These flowers are really shiny, almost like porcelain.

"Do you like them? I've been tending them every week with magic."

"You can use magic to help them grow? Terra asked astounded.

"Mmhmm," Aqua nodded. "Not only can you speed up their growth, but you can actually change their characteristics."

And as Terra looked around, it seemed to ring true. Flowers that Terra knew to be blue had orange or red tips. Other flowers had more petals than usual or happened to be bigger than normal. Every one was vibrant and full of life, the same as Aqua. These flowers were a perfect avatar for Aqua's personality, her depth.

"I never knew you could use magic that way." Terra awed. It gave him a new respect for magic, or perhaps a new respect for Aqua. "You're amazing."

Her features brightened. "Thank you, Terra." She beamed.

She looked down for a second. "About earlier...I'm sorry."

Hearing the sadness in her voice and the change in her mood, made Terra feel guilty.

"Aqua, I.." he started.

"No. I shouldn't have brought it up. But I couldn't forgive myself if anything were to happen to you."

Terra understood perfectly. Aqua was always the voice of reason out of the three. There were actual times where he wondered if Ven and him would still be alive if it weren't for the bluenette. She had a caring attitude about her. Her maternal instincts had saved them more times than he could count.

She looke him in the eyes. "You're my best friend. We knew each other for the longest time, right?" she asked, though they both knew that was true.

Terra put his calloused hand on Aqua's soft delicate shoulder. "Aqua, I wont fall. I..I know Master Eruaqs thinks I'll...I'll..."

"I know," she said. She pulled his hand off her shoulder and into her hands. "Because, I wont let you."

Terra's eyes widened slightly as Aqua slowly moved forward. Before Terra knew what to say, Aqua's lips locked onto his, closing her eyes. The ends of her hair fell in between them. Terra closed his own eyes. She leaned closer to him and put her hand on his chest. He cupped her cheek. Her skin felt silky smooth against his rough hands.

She was more beautiful and precious than anything Terra could think of. The forest and flowers paled in comparison. At that moment he felt a longing desire to spend his remaining days with her.

Aqua was entertaining similar thoughts. They parted to catch their breath, but kept their foreheads together.

"Terra, she started. "I don't want you to leave me."

Terra was a little confused. "What do you mean?" he panted.

"Do you think I wouldn't notice it. You've been avoiding us more and more." Her beautiful eyes shown betrayal and hurt. "Are you afraid of us? Or, are you afraid of me?" A solitary tear rolled down her cheek.

He looked down, "I..I didn't want to get you hurt. I don't want you to see me, what I'll become."

"Oh Terra." She slumped down, burying her face in his chest.

"I didn't know I was causing so much harm," he said sincerely. He put a comforting hand on Aqua's exposed back.

She looked up at him. Aqua gave him another kiss, trying to convey all of her love, adoration, and trust into it.

They fell backwards into the magic-enhanced flowers that felt soft as pillows. They were laying in a sideways embrace, Aqua's head resting in his chest. She listened to the beats of his heart. The same as her light-filled one. Those weren't the beats of darkness. Terra was Terra. Not some monster of the dark like in the books. There in her -now their- little paradise, she drifted into a peaceful sleep, thoughts full of them.

Terra woke hours later. The Tawny rays of the sun were now replace with the bluish-white ones of a full moon. He shivered slightly from the shift in temperature. He was sure Ven and Master Eruaqs were worried about them by now. Feeling better than he had in a long, long while he turned to see Aqua. The moonlight augmented her blue features and Terra realized that Aqua's magic flowers lit up at night. They were laying in colorful flower-shaped lanterns.

Terra bent over Aqua. He stayed above her for a few seconds, listening to her soft breathing. He put his arms under her as gentle as possible, and brought her close to him.

"Aqua," he whispered and her eyes fluttered open. Her head bending up to look at him. For a second she didn't understand where she was. Then she smiled a wonderful smile.

She got to her feet, and Terra right after. He brushed himself off and said, "Ready to go?"

Aqua heard a kind of happiness that she hadn't heard in his voice in a long time. "Of course," she replied with pride from the knowledge that she completed her self made task.

Terra started walking then quickly turned around, giving an embarrassed smile. "Uhh, wanna lead the way?"

He receive a laugh in response from the female companion, who took the lead.

As they made their way out of the forest and saw the lights to the castle come into view, Aqua had one thought on her mind. Even as they explained to Ven and Master Eruaqs why they were gone so long - leaving out the kissing part of course- and even as they kissed again and parted ways to their rooms, Aqua promised herself that no matter what happened to Terra, she would and always will be, his candle in the darkness.

**Authors note: A random one-shot of Terra and Aqua I had floating in my head. I've been wanting to do one for quite some time now. I hope you enjoy, and I hope it wasn't as cheesy or forced as it felt when writing. Reviews are appreciated. **

**Also, the title is kinda lame, but I figured since two things having to do with "blooming" (flowers and love) I felt it was appropriate.**


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